The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-06-10
UNCLE SANS MAILS.
How Swindlers Are Detected by POST
office Inspectors.
Especial Correspondence


office Inspectors.
Especial Correspondence
CLEVELAND, May so.
In a recent conversation with veteran
postofice inspector, learned some very in
teresting things about the guarding of the
United States mails. ... -.-.e
"The worst case I ever had," said the in
spector, "was in country Office in Pennsyl-
vania. Letters had been stolen on a certain
hack route. obtained broad brimmed hat
and announced that had come into the
neighborhood to buy cattle. sent decoy
letters and kept close watch of all the Offices.
At length / had things pretty well centered
on a single office 1t was kept by an old Ger
man who was noted for his honesty. His
deputy was his 18year-old daughter, a beau
tiful girl, who was engaged to be married to
rich farmer of the neighborhood. My sus-
picions were fastened upon this girl. waited
in the neighborhood for week in erder to
make a trial when the old people were away
from home. At length they left town for the
day and the Office was in the hands Of the
daughter. I dropped a decoy letter into the
bag just before it came into the office. and
examining the mail after it left the Office
found that it had been taken. waited till
no one was present except the fair deputy
postmistress and then, deliberately locking the
door, stepped behind the cases and said in
deep, sepulchral voice:
"'I want the letter which you took from the
bag today
"She went into violent fit of Mysteries She
tore her beautiful hair and wept copiously. /
stood calmly before her. looking as much as
possible like Nemesis. At length shestopped
short and, throwing her arms around my
neck, she piteously besought me:
"'You won't send me to state prison, will
you, my dear, good man? Please DON'T
"'That will depend upon whether you will
tell me everything about this case said /.
"'Ill tell you everything. have taken
the letters, every one of them. Father is not
to blame, and his heart will be broken. 1
couldn't get anything decent to wear and
thought had to have money, so / took the
letters. Oh, mister, you won't send me to
state prison, viii yous ] am engaged to be
married. D dear-boohoo!-wha shall / dog
u told her that would do the best could,
and perhaps it might be fixed up without her
going to prison.
"When the postmaster and his wife re-
turned they Immediately saw that something
had happened. They at first believed that
had injured their daughter in some way, AMI
were disposed to attack me. But the young
laQy was IaSb TO eXplaln:
"sTllis man is the best man that ever lived.
He has saved me-
'That was more uninteligible thar ever 10
the old people. But at length all was ex-
plaine.l and understood. Under the circum-
stances [ decided not to arrest the girl /
could see no good that would come of it, and
much evil. made the old gentleman prom
Use that she should never again touch the mails
A few months later she was married and now
is the mother of several children and is much
respected in the neighborhood.
"About the funniest case ! ever had any
thing to do with the inspector continued,
"was that of country editor"
"Relate it." said l. still interested
"Well there were some circulars put in my
hands which read as follows:
GREENBACKs. GREENBACKs.
will furnish money as good as genuine for ten
per cent. Of face value. Send 81 for sample lot
Strictly confidential JOHN ADAMS.
II saw Immediately that the circular was
rrinted in country efiiee. and | knew t',"t
there was oniy one O.4lce III lne vicinity. |
knew this printer we'll and had not the least
suspicion that he had anything to do with
getting up the circulars decided to call on
him, as felt sure he might be able to help on
the case. I accordingly visited the printer
and, showing him the circular, inquired:
@'Can you throw any light on that'
s'I'll tell you how that was said the ed
itor, vsibly confused. That was all a joke
"'Please explain the JOKE sai.l |,
"'Well, now, let me say that no one hates
counterfeters so badly as do. simply de-
test any thing of the kind don't think there
is nyaody that hates lying SO badly as do,
either / wouldn't lie for anything in the
world Now, / printed those circulars and
decid,d to send them out and see il couldn't
find out some fellows who would like to be
counterfeiters' ~ i ssf a8
"'Well, how is it about this fictitious name
and what did you propose to do when they
sent you the dollarsp
"'Well, I'll tell you about that ASH said
before. / hate lying. Now, my initials are
j. A., and my first two names are John ADJ
ans You see that was no lie. When got
the money expected to send them some good
advice Now, if advice is worth anything, it
is worth dollar, and intended tosend them
dollars worth. So you see it was all joke.
You can keep it all quiet if you have a mind
to. can't you? You won't make any scandal,
will your
@'I shall be obliged to lay all the points of
this joke before the district attorney. He may
consider it of no consequence and dismiss it,
but can do nothing less
"The editor was leading church member,
and was considered one Of the big men of the
town. He immediately consulted lawyer,
anil the two decided not to wait for the dis
trict attorney to send for them, but to go to
him Immediately.
"The editor was indicted for defrauding
through the mails, but finally escaped going
to tile penitentiary, and is still publishing his
paper" L.CR.
The Amateurs.